Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, encourages everyone to plan for a safe 2020 Labor Day weekend.
A news release says the highway patrol will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E. (Crash Awareness & Reduction Effort) over the Labor Day holiday weekend. Speed, inattention and impaired driving are leading causes of traffic crashes. All available troopers will be patrolling Missouri’s roadways and waterways. Troopers on the roadways will be enforcing Missouri’s speed limit, seat belt and impaired-driving laws, in addition to being available to assist motorists.
Marine enforcement troopers will be working to make our waterways safer during the holiday weekend. Missouri’s boaters are asked to do their part by remaining alert for other boats and swimmers and being courteous on the water. With more boats on the water, it is even more important to pay attention when operating a vessel. Remember: Smaller vessels should yield right-of-way to larger vessels. Boaters should avoid overloading their boat with too many passengers and always pay close attention to the boats around them. Causing harm to another person or their property with an excessive boat wake may subject you to enforcement action or civil liability. Treat other boaters and property owners as you want to be treated. They say life jackets save lives and encourage you to wear one when you are on or around water.
In Missouri, nine people died and 431 were injured in 1,021 traffic crashes over the 2019 Labor Day holiday. This means one person was killed or injured every 10.6 minutes. Troopers arrested 116 people for driving while intoxicated during last year’s holiday weekend. In 2019, there were 11 boating crashes which included four injuries, and no fatalities. There were no drownings over last year’s Labor Day holiday. Troopers arrested 10 people for boating while intoxicated during last year’s counting period.
The 2020 counting period for the Labor Day holiday will be from 6 p.m. Friday, September 4, through 11:59 p.m. Monday, September 7.